retroboxupholsteryhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com
UpholsterySun, 11 Mar 2018 10:51:03 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/ae24c3e53d98ca6430d614258c7ab522?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngretroboxupholsteryhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com
The sheep chairhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/the-sheep-chair/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/11/19/the-sheep-chair/#commentsThu, 19 Nov 2015 17:51:02 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=665This was one of a pair of unprepossessing chairs I hauled out of a skip some years ago

With bits of spray foam – nice

I wanted to have a bit of a play with this. I love those pieces upholstered in sheepskin. Not something I felt was within my abilities or, indeed, budget. But I had a notion that I might be able to create something similar with an Ikea throw. I realised it may not work and indeed my upholstery classmates were shall we say sceptical. Supportive, but doubtful was hte general tone.

Old fabric – waste not

All modern for the underneath

More but different foam

And then on with the throw. It was quickly named the sheep chair for fairly obvious reasons.

Not traditional

This was so easy! I had put calico over the foam as the throw was very open and stretchy but the fabric was so stretchy it meant it could easily be manoeuvred into place. I was even able to use the fringed edge of the throw.

A fringe

And again, nothing went wrong, no complaints or moans. The next one is clearly going to be a disaster.

This had been saved from the bonfire and the wood looked as if it had only been pulled out in the nick of time. But the magic furniture restorer worked its wonders.

It’s a messy job

I don’t know how this had been upholstered previously, or even if it was. I can only assume a board sat on top of the seat frame as there were no nail holes, but it is now webbed, foamed and covered.

Handsome with a little more polish

I realise that nothing seems to have gone wrong with this, there is nothing I could/should have done differently. Mmmm, it can’t last.

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/09/20/a-rustic-number/feed/0retroboxupholstery1-20150529_162132Clamp centralIt's a messy job2-20150628_160650More dining chairs and an Ikea hackhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/more-dining-chairs-and-an-ikea-hack/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/more-dining-chairs-and-an-ikea-hack/#respondSat, 06 Jun 2015 19:53:18 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=639I’m on a roll with dining chairs. Two more for a friend. These are a standard dining chair, for which I don’t have any before photos but that’s because the deal was my friend was to strip them back. Result!

So all that left for me was the pleasant part of upholstering. Well, if I’m honest not even that, this was just a recover. And with some Ikea curtains. A nice teal velvet. Not super plush but just fine for these chairs. And great value, I have lots of fabric left for which I have plans, although not the chair.

Doesn’t quite get the shade but you get the idea

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/more-dining-chairs-and-an-ikea-hack/feed/0retroboxupholsteryDining chairs, nothing else to sayDining chairshttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/dining-chairs/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/dining-chairs/#respondFri, 29 May 2015 17:10:37 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=612Comfort. That was the requirement here. A friend wanted some new dining chairs where lingering over fine wine (Aldi prosecco) and exquisite food (M&S £10 meal deal) was possible and not cut short due to unsatisfactory seating. She found these contenders on Ebay. When she went to collect the charming lady was disappearing under a sea (I wonder what the collective noun for chairs is, perhaps a seat) of chairs. She had embarked with enthusiasm on an upholstery course but her purchasing of chairs had exceeded her upholstering time. There’s no shame in that.

However it did mean these two lovely chairs

One of two

were coming my way. Why my friend didn’t scoop up, or at least photograph the contents of her garage for my perusal I don’t know! I was hoping these might be tacks rather than the dreaded staple.

some staples

hope dashed.

They were sprung. What a good start.

On the plus side

They were also ludicrously over-engineered

Why? Really, why?

This thing went over the springs, I really can’t see what this was adding but they seemed a very nice quality chair.

A sign?

Some internetting revealed there was a firm called Lupton Morton manufacturing for Habitat in the 60s. And they did seem a cut above the usual. Perhaps that was their provenance but we shall never know. Even though they were lovely chairs some repairs were still necessary.

broken

But repairs were done as was upholstery as they wouldn’t be comfy without some upholstery.

after

Now, it wouldn’t be traditional for me to have a blog post without a niggle.

The niggle

The finish round the front of the legs was a bit unusual as there has been a groove where the fabric had been held. I decided not to use that in the same way and finished it with a length of single piping. But I’m not quite happy with the shaping of the seat, I should have gone with more of a tulip pleat but I think that is the only gripe. These were a joy to do, an assessment not at all coloured by the prospect of enjoying many a glass of prosecco on them.

I don’t know what the wood is.

rosewood?

And the legs finish with a brass ferrule.

Brass – check, rosewood – check

You couldn’t be more on trend!

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/dining-chairs/feed/0retroboxupholstery01-20150215_160350some staplesOn the plus sideWhy? Really, why?A sign?brokenafterThe nigglerosewood?Brass - check, rosewood - checkBack to schoolhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/back-to-school/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/back-to-school/#commentsSun, 01 Mar 2015 17:39:07 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=582I thought I’d return to college. I did several years when I first started at this upholstery lark including a qualification, I’ve even got a certificate to prove it! But there’s still plenty to learn and more than that, it’s nice meeting people that share your interest. So I signed up and turned up with a new project.

I didn’t get a very good before picture

before

but you get the general idea.

This was going to have the same spray paint treatment as the last one.

All in the prep

This was trickier than the last one as I would stand back only to realise I had, as the saying goes, missed a bit. Almost a whole can of paint on this was enough to have me looking at a spray paint attachment for the compressor. Exciting, potential new kit – but that looks so involved and I have no idea what I need so that is not something I’m pursuing, just yet.

But the end result was really excellent. The upholstery proceeded apace with no great dramas. So apace in fact I don’t have any pictures. The only issues I had were with the finishing. I was finishing round the show wood with double piping and my teacher suggested using a button feature where the piping would meet. Excellent plan I thought. So I had buttons with a nail back made. Applied the piping, which took forever and huge amounts of glue, and then carefully went to nail the buttons in. But, they wouldn’t go. By the time I had any sort of purchase with the buttons the fabric covering was damaged.

So back to the drawing board or rather the button making machine at college. Plain buttons made and glued. And they look fine.

detail

One throne – for sale

I’ve enjoyed the return to college. At least, I have when I’m there, leaving the house in the cold and dark of a Tuesday evening is always an effort but worth it. Some of my fellow pupils have looked aghast at my fondness for the compressor and staples preferring the traditional approach but there has been the odd longing glance and I may yet win over some converts!

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/back-to-school/feed/1retroboxupholstery1-IMG_1176beforeAll in the prepdetail1-20150228_104650No standing pleasehttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/no-standing-please/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/no-standing-please/#respondSat, 07 Feb 2015 16:15:17 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=556This one was picked up from by a skip by a closing down hotel.

a boring chair

It had potential, quite a lot of potential for free. Ripping back revealed why you should never stand on a chair.

broken chair

You really can see a craftsman at work on this repair.

But I thought I’d liven up the chair with some painted legs. A trip to hobbycraft resulted in the purchase of some urban art paint (I think that means graffiti) watch out Banksy you’ve got competition. Well, perhaps only if you were thinking of going into the upholstery line. I was going to buy plastikote but they didn’t have it in the colour I wanted so was directed to this Molotow paint. But this is fabulous stuff. Absolutely idiot proof. Bit of prep on the legs and the paint goes on like a dream. The finish is so professional.

foolproof legs

This chair was intended for sale. I’ve had very mixed fortunes on the selling front but I had a plan and that was to go for something that might be popular at the moment. So I went for Scion’s, I think now discontinued, lunaria in grey and yellow. The upholstery itself wasn’t that noteworthy, the seat replaced, the usual fiddling to get a good fit on such a curved back but that worked rather well and then a grey velvet on the back. And on a thrifty note that was actually left over from some curtains.

lively chair

And, in a quite unprecedented move, it was snapped up. Almost as soon as it was listed I had an offer, and it was collected within days! Hopefully it won’t be used in place of some stepladders any time soon.

The bar stool in the kitchen, rather sad and cat scratched black vinyl has had a revamp.

Some lovely Bute limey green boucle. I have another bar stool still in the black vinyl. I had loads of the Bute fabric. Loads. Well actually not quite so loads as I thought, or needed. The other one is going to have to be in something else. But as this was ludicrously fiddly and I was very glad the fabric was so forgiving I’m not sure that is going to be happening anytime soon.

And yes, there’s more.

A really nasty old sewing box transformed into a little store for my hallway for hats and gloves and the like.

Rather chuffed with this as when I took the old placcy off there was this rather lovely ply underneath which was just too nice to cover up.

And this has been kicking about for ages, at least two house moves, and finally it gets put to good use.

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/quick-wins/feed/6retroboxupholstery1-IMG_11811-20150101_1506131-20150117_1043571-IMG_1186_1Changing your horses in midstreamhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/changing-your-horses-in-midstream/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/changing-your-horses-in-midstream/#commentsMon, 25 Aug 2014 13:12:53 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=548I don’t know if to change your horses in midstream is a good thing or a bad thing. But it’s the thing I did with the last project.

Before

This was to be done in a sunny orange fabric for my sister. I was pretty much going to reproduce what was there so no drama anticipated.

I sent some fabric away for buttons and received back more than I had ordered as the fabric was so frayee (as in prone to fraying – surely that’s a word) that they couldn’t make a very good job of containing the fabric.

fraying

However I reckoned I could sort that out by careful use of the glue gun (not an oxymoron). But it was the seat that resulted in the need for a complete change of tack. I was going to do it in two bits but as well as fraying like mad the fabric was also rather stiff. I tried it with piping.

not going to be comfy

but it produced a really unforgiving front edge. So then I tried a plain seam with top-stitching

the lines are wobbly, honest!

which had potential but even if I did my very best top stitching (ie. slightly better than rubbish) it was going to look wonky as the stripes weren’t straight. So I went for the a wrap-over seat with no seam which was simpler, neater and entirely satisfactory.

Another hand sewn back

And the jobs done.

After – and the extra button came in handy as I was only going to have 5!

And the next project’s already underway – that’s what a wet bank holiday Monday can do.

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/changing-your-horses-in-midstream/feed/3retroboxupholsteryBeforefrayingnot going to be comfythe lines are wobbly6-IMG_11655-IMG_1163After - and the extra button came in handy as I was only going to have 5!starting overhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/starting-over/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/starting-over/#commentsTue, 22 Jul 2014 18:27:35 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=3I thought I’d get back into the upholstery groove with something small. So small it isn’t even a stool but a stoolette.

Before

So this should be no problem at all, get that sorted in no time. Everything was going swimmingly, calico went on like a dream. But then I thought I’d tweak it to get a nice domed top…

If I just give it a tug

Doesn’t fit! I try and persuade myself that I can just “ease to fit”. But with all the frantic tugging akin to when you are stuck in an overheated changing room in a too small dress with it half over your head lurching about trying desperately to get it off without either a) getting make up on it or b) just tearing it to pieces, it just won’t go.

So I start over. Not at all irritating, oh no siree, that was just what I wanted to mark my return to upholstery.

All alright in the end

But I did get there. Perhaps something easier next time, a three seater deep buttoned chesterfield perhaps.

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/starting-over/feed/3retroboxupholstery1-IMG_1113Before If I just give it a tugAll alright in the endUpholstering in adversityhttps://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/upholstering-in-adversity/
https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/upholstering-in-adversity/#commentsSun, 12 May 2013 13:34:18 +0000http://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/?p=537There’s not been upholstery going on round here. That is partly because round here is now a different here – I’ve moved house and am currently renting while renovating my new permanent home. That wouldn’t, of course, necessarily preclude upholstery but this,

reason for lack of upholstery

my broken foot, rather has. However I decided that I could manage a little project so a Sherborne footstool was due yet another makeover. I covered this last year and was very unhappy with it.

bad upholstery

It doesn’t look too bad in this picture but it was a pretty rubbish job I did on it so I was very glad to start again. My last project was a footstool destined for my ex housemate’s house. This was going the same way as the cat was a big fan of this stool so it got the same treatment.

I’m much happier with it now. I thought to measure and mark from the piping before putting the cover on which meant I could get it all nice and level, something that wasn’t accomplished last time and there is some adequate pattern matching.

good upholstery

I can’t see that there will be much more upholstery in the near future although I’m hoping I will have the cast off soon but there is going to be quite a lot more of this.

Do not scale off these plans

A whole room!

]]>https://retroboxupholstery.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/upholstering-in-adversity/feed/5retroboxupholsteryreason for lack of upholsterybad upholstery8-IMG_1058good upholsteryDo not scale off these plans